Weekly USL-1 honors announced - Week 20

Zenoni earns Player of the Week
TAMPA, FL – United Soccer Leagues announced the USL First Division Team of the Week for the 20th week of the season, honoring Minnesota’s Kyle Zenoni as the Player of the Week.
Eliminated from postseason contention and sitting one point in front of last-place California, the Minnesota Thunder had only pride left to play for Saturday night against the first-place Seattle Sounders after falling the previous night 1-0 in Vancouver.
Minnesota stunned the Sounders, who face FC Dallas in the US Open Cup Semifinals Tuesday night, 2-1 for just their fourth win of a campaign that has seen them go 4-11-11 with nine of their 11 defeats by just one goal. Not only was Saturday’s result an unexpected outcome, but so to was how it happened as defender Kyle Zenoni registered his first points of the season by scoring both goals in the first half.
Both goals came in similar fashion as the Thunder took advantage of throw-ins in the offensive third from defender Kevin Friedland that Seattle was unable to clear.
The first came 23 minutes in a deep throw-in into the box was headed out twice before Brian Farber attempted a shot that was blocked, ricocheting out to Zenoni on the right. Zenoni one-timed the bouncing ball from the edge of the penalty area past Chris Eylander for the lead.
Near the close of the half Friedland, from nearly the same spot 40 yards from the corner, sent a deep throw to Farber in the penalty area. Farber, just inside the endline 10 yards from goal headed the ball into the top of the six, where Ansu Toure would slot the ball across the six to a wide open Zenoni, who again one-timed his shot, sending it off the near post and in from nine yards out.
Zenoni is in his first year as a professional in the US after playing in Sweden for Falu FK upon graduation from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee last year. He has been a staple in the back line for the Thunder this season, seeing action in 22 games.

* Player of the Week